Since 2006, there has been a symbol of consistency at StoneBridge Trucking. That symbol has always been ready, always been dependable, always been competent, always been professional, and importantly, ALWAYS BEEN AN ABSOLUTE PLEASURE TO BE AROUND. That symbol is Forrest Sandefur. Forrest is currently the longest tenured driver at StoneBridge. On a weekly basis, he is always ready to hop in a cargo van and go. Because of his history of service at StoneBridge, Forrest became the first recipient of the StoneBridge Legacy Award during the StoneBridge Christmas Party in December. An award that was both well-deserved and well received. “When considering who would be the first to receive the award, my father and I both agreed that Forrest was the most deserving to have their name appear first on the wall as a StoneBridge Legacy”, said StoneBridge CEO Shane Kennedy.
Understanding Forrest’s success at StoneBridge, and the character he brings to the job, can be partly attributed to his service in the United States Air Force. In 1958, Forrest graduated high school and enlisted. When considering the military, the choice for Forrest was simple at the time. “The draft was inevitable, and I knew I had to make a choice. I had two brothers, one served in the Army and the other in the Navy. I also had three brothers-in-law who served in the Army, Army Air Corps, and Navy. I had a very good idea of what to expect from each service. I chose the Air Force, they had the best food.”
Upon enlisting in the Air Force, Forrest went to Basic Training during a very unusual time. His basic training only lasted 3.5 weeks when the average at the time was 8 weeks. It was during this time that national temperatures were so hot, there were Marines who died marching during training at Paris Island, SC. “Because of this, there was a law passed for everyone limiting our outdoor training due to the temperatures, and my initial training was cut short.”
After completing basic training, Forrest become an Airborne Radar Repairman while studying at Keesler AFB, MS. This skillset would eventually land him in the city of Tripoli located in Libya, Africa. The base he served on had a vast history. It began as a Mercedes Benz test site, and eventually housed the German military during World War II. Once the war ended, the United States occupied it, eventually welcoming A3C Forrest Sandefur as a member of the 58th Air Rescue Squadron. During his time in Tripoli, a historic event occurred when a U2 jet was shot down in Russia. “We spent three days “looking” for that jet. Our government knew where it was, we knew where it was. It was in Russia, but we weren’t allowed to cross into their air space. So, in order to give the appearance we were making the effort to find it, we spent three days flying along the border of Turkey and Russia “looking” for it. It was very frustrating for everyone involved”.
After leaving Tripoli, Forrest finished his Air Force career in Columbus, OH. It was here that he learned how to get the Air Force to honor is contract and grant him his Honorable Discharge. “I was in a highly critical field, and they were trying to retain all Radar Repairman by alluding that we couldn’t get out. It was then that I read a recent Air Force Times article and found the regulation had been updated, officially allowing me to be discharged.” Upon finding this information out, Airman Third Class Sandefur promptly paid a visit to the base retention Officer. The officer made a diligent effort to retain Forrest and the conversation went as such:
A3C Sandefur: I would like to request my Honorable Discharge.
Retention Officer: You read the Air Force times didn’t you?
A3C Sandefur: Yes sir I did.
Retention Officer: You realize life outside the military is exactly the same don’t you? You will still have someone you have to report to and take orders from?
A3C Sandefur: Well sir, it’s not exactly the same. Out there I can tell them to “Go to Hell” and not go to jail for it.
A3C Sandefur was Honorably Discharged for the US Air Force on the 25th of May, 1964. Having married is wife Sharon in 1962, they are proud parents to their daughters Laurie and Marcy. He is proud of his lifetime of hard work, and if you ever have the opportunity to spend 5 minutes with Forrest, you will find him to be an extremely kind gentleman who is proud of his service and enjoys working for StoneBridge Trucking. “When I enlisted back then, it wasn’t a choice, it was an obligation. It was simply part of being an American.” Since 2006, Forrest has been a part of the StoneBridge DNA and will always be the first ever to receive the StoneBridge Legacy Award recipient. When speaking of his experience at StoneBridge, there is one unique quality he speaks of: “I enjoy the people I work with and the customers. I enjoy staying busy and the interaction this job allows me to receive with good people”.
